Penny Wells reports on the recent Congregational Meeting:

On Sunday, December 4, 32 members of the congregation and several other interested individuals gathered to review a proposed mission and vision statement for the church.  The draft statements were an outgrowth of the work done over November 4 – 6 Searching for the Future weekend during which approximately 50 members of the church came together to discuss their hopes and dreams for the future of First Church.  After reviewing the materials produced by the weekend’s four work groups, church leaders crafted Mission and Vision statements to guide the congregation as it approaches a process of church review and revitalization.  The Mission and Vision statements below were presented to the congregation for an up or down vote; the congregation voted unanimously to adopt them:

MISSION: We are an open and caring congregation. We nurture spiritual growth through worship, education, social justice, and service to others.

VISION: Our congregation is a source of sanctuary and inspiration. We embrace creativity, inclusiveness, and spiritual exploration. We share humane values and we work together to create a better world.

Next steps involve creation of a strategic plan.  A small group will work on this project with the goal of presenting a draft by the Fellowship Dinner in March.  We hope to use this process to mobilize and steer the congregation as it tackles some important challenges over the next five years.